This application relates to the art of fire fighting monitors and, more particularly, to fire fighting monitors that are adapted to be mounted on the deck of a fire fighting apparatus such as a fire truck. Although the invention is particularly applicable to fire fighting monitors and will be described with specific reference thereto, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader aspects and can be used in other liquid discharge devices.
Typical fire fighting monitors that are mounted on the deck of a fire fighting apparatus are fixed in height, and the only adjustment is in the discharge angle of the water stream relative to the horizontal. If the fixed height is high enough to clear surrounding fixtures on the fire fighting apparatus such as lights and hose beds, the monitor may be to high to clear obstacles such as garage doors or bridges above underpasses. If the fixed height is sufficiently low to readily clear such obstacles, the water stream may strike fixtures mounted on the apparatus and deflect the water stream or damage the fixtures.
Accessories are available for increasing the elevation of the water outlet on a fixed height monitor. One arrangement uses an extension pipe that is positioned below the monitor and raises the water outlet by approximately 18 inches. Use of the extension pipe requires removal and reassembly of the monitor, and a separate storage space is required for the extension pipe when it is not being used. Another arrangement uses a telescopic extension pipe positioned below the monitor. Significant lifting force is required to lift the telescoping pipe along with the monitor to increase the elevation of the water outlet. In addition, extensive modifications are required below the deck of the fire fighting apparatus to accommodate the telescopic extension pipe. Such modifications occupy valuable space along with adding weight and complexity to the apparatus as well as cost.
It would be desirable to have a simplified arrangement for varying the elevation of the water outlet on a fire fighting monitor.